CONSTRUCTION AND PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES OF FOREIGN PRISONERS OF WAR IN IZHEVSK, 1945–1948

Abstract

The article deals with the participation of foreign prisoners of war (PoWs) in construction and production activities in Izhevsk in 1945–1948. The PoWs were former soldiers of Hitler’s military alliance from Germany, Romania, Hungary and others countries. The author analyzes the role of the so-called “special contingent” in the post-war development of municipal and industrial infrastructure. The causes of low results of the PoW’slabourare revealed in the paper. A big amount of archival documents gives the author the opportunity to present some forgotten or unknown facts on the life of the special contingent as well as provides a wider look to the problem of the PoW’slabour activity in Izhevsk in 1945–1948.The paper reveals the nationalities of the foreign PoWs who worked in Izhevsk after the World War II.The types of the PoW’s work are also presented in the article, as well as the number of the PoWs at the city enterprises and their wages. The author analyzes the data about the Izhevsk camp for the PoWs. The author states that the PoW’slabourplayed a certain role in the reconstruction and improvement of economic indexes of Izhevsk after the Great Patriotic War.